Iris boat/barge tour reviews — 1 to 30 of 125

The beautiful landscape and communities we road through as well as expert guides. The crew of the Iris and the amenities were amazing also.

The two guides, Hetty and Tim, made the trip. Meals in the Iris were very good. The crew was friendly and helpful. Bikes were comfortable and were easy to use. The nine day trip was perfect.

A fantastic trip exploring the Netherlands - amazing tulips, windmills, sand dunes, canals…. The crew on the Iris were amazing and the meals were excellent. Thomas and Tim were great guides and we learned much about the country at each of our stops. Meeting others who enjoy cycling was a big part of the experience.

Loved visiting the tulip gardens. Food was delicious. Hospitality top notch. Guides very accommodating. High quality of bikes. The Iris is a great boat for this type of travel.

The crew and the guides did a wonderful job of making sure everything wonderful.
All of the extras that were included in our bike outing made the entire trip memorable. Encouraging everyone I know to take this trip. The absolutely perfect way to see The Netherlands!

The trip was terrific!! We were on the IRIS that is 150% better than our last boat. The crew was terrific, the bike leaders were awesome and I believe they were so important in making the trip such a success. Of the 7 days of riding 1 day was totally in the rain and it was great, not that I wanted to get wet but the bike leqders were so prepared and positive. The other folks on the boat were terrific. And the flowers....mind boggling to say the least. I cannot recommend this trip strongly enough. The cabins were super clean, the showers were great (never ran out of hot water) and the food was good.

Loved the route, the food, the hospitality. We could be busy in the evening or be lazy. We were asked our opinion on the day's events.
One thing I might include from the guides is a few riding lessons on how to use an ebike. How to start from a stop. How to change gears. As a rider, I was doing that for all the inexperienced riders, but wondered if it was my place to do so.

The staff were very aware that people arrived with different skill levels and expectations and were able to accommodate everyone. They were flexible enough as things were not always predictable. Thomas was especially good at his job-very knowledgeable and a fountain of information on the Netherlands, especially any stops we made.

Cycling through the Netherlands with our wonderful guides was a great way to enjoy such a beautiful countryside. It was so nice each day to return to the Iris, welcomed aboard by an amazing crew followed by a delicious dinner each evening.

My husband & I had a fabulous bike & barge trip visiting the Netherlands. We enjoyed beautiful trails, amazing picturesque scenery and outstanding hospitality we experienced during our tour of the of the Netherlands. The Keukenhof was magnificent & definitely did not disappoint with its endless array of tulip & flower varieties. Just fabulous! My husband describes it as the "Disneyland of Tulips". We enjoyed creating new friendships with our fellow biking companions on the Iris. This was our third and I'd say our best bike & barge experience. I credit this extraordinary experience with not only the hard working staff of the Iris but with our superstar biking guides, Hetty & Maaike. These ladies are incredible! They set the tone and pace for the entire group & in doing so, created an environment of community versus competition. What a difference this made! Instead of regular biking folks trying to continuous keep up with the electric bikers, they were able to enjoy their biking day. We absolutely recommend biking & barging as it is the very best way to see and experience a country!
#1 tip: bring rain gear, waterproof, not water resistant a very important distinction! If it rains, as it did for us, being dry & staying dry is essential for your comfort! #2: don't over pack! Biking groups tend to dress very casually.

All members of your team were top notch. Thank you for the beautiful memories!

We have so many great memories of our trip that it is hard to pin down an "absolute favorite". Here are some of our best and most favorites memories, in no particular order of importance! The staff was so welcoming and helpful, we felt connected to all of them right from the start! The bike riding was fantastic--the ease of the e bikes, to the scenery, and then the visits at the historical sites such as the Roman mosaic, the Puerta Nigra, and the bunker from WWI in the farmer's field, we thought we had the best guides and were very well informed about the details of our day. Our accommodations aboard the Iris were comfortable, clean and well maintained. The other passengers were a lot of fun, and we felt comfortable spending time with each group. I cannot say enough about the food! We all looked forward to our excellent dinner after a long day of cycling, and the breakfasts were filling and tasty, every time! One day, after a 35-mile ride, some of the other passengers decided to continue for another 12 miles, but many of us chose to stay on the barge. The captain welcomed us into the wheelhouse and we were educated on how to operate the barge while going through a lock and dam!

The little towns like the v one pictured above. Use deutsch bank ATM to exchange for euros

This was our 8th bike & boat tour with Tripsite and once again it was an outstanding trip. It's difficult to pick a favorite since each one has it's own highlights and we always love to embrace the differences but this one really excelled in every category.

The route - A perfect mix of paved dedicated trails along the 3 rivers, winding streets through classic little medieval towns and a few stretches though bustling cities like Frankfurt. We probably went through a few more small towns and villages than on some of our other trips which was a real plus. We generally had time to stop and look around and sample some local goodies. A highlight was riding through the woods surrounding the Frankfurt airport and stopping to visit the Zeppelin Museum, fascinating history and a lot of exhibits focusing on the Hindenburg. We averaged 26 miles a day on generally level paths. We opted for the e-bikes - we could have done OK without them but when we hit a bit of a climb at the end of the day it was pretty nice to be able to get a little boost. Every night we were docked close enough to the center of town that we were able to take a walk after dinner and get some local flavor - this is one of the things that we like the best about these trips.

The boat - The Iris may not look too fancy from the outside but once inside we were blown away with the way she has been updated and renovated from her days as a cargo ship. The decor and appointments are first class, the cabins are roomy with comfortable beds and well equipped bathrooms, dining area is well laid out, and the front lounge is a cozy place to enjoy a beverage from the self service bar.

The people - The crew and guests are always key to a successful trip and we had a superb group. Our captains, mate and host (Dick & Adrienne, Mark & Anna) did a fantastic job with the day to day operations and made sure that all of our needs were met. Our chef Berber served up amazing meals every day with creative combinations of fresh ingredients that were quite welcome after a long day on the trail. Our guides Ferry and Treasa did a great job of planning the days journey and managing our fairly large group of 23 bikers. The pace and route needed to be adjusted a few times due to weather and construction but at the end of the day everything went smoothly and a good time was had by all. As we have experienced on all of our trips the guests were a fun group from varied backgrounds with the right attitude for an active vacation. Most had been on at least one bike and boat trip previously, some on the Iris as well.

A 5 star experience - we would highly recommend this trip on the Iris for both novice and experienced bikers. Excellent on every measure.

The whole trip was excellent. To many thing to choose just one.

So much fun! Loved all the vineyards and charming towns we rode through. Our captain, mates, chef and guides were top notch! Highly recommend this bike tour, we loved it!

Unfortunately, I tested positive for Covid 19 the evening after the first ride. Nevertheless, the trip was very enjoyable, especially because of the kind attention of the staff on the IRIS, especially our hostess, Kim. I have to say, sitting on the deck of the IRIS, cruising along the Main in Bavaria, is not such a bad way to go! I did get in two days rides at the end so also got to enjoy the biking.

Riding through the grapevine vineyards.
Riding through the forest in aschaffenburg.
Riding into the little towns

We had the opportunity to evaluate the Iris so don’t have anything to add

The Wow factor was everywhere.
Gourmet Vegetarian options at every meal. Old towns, palaces, castles & beergardens. The pristine bike paths along rosy vineyards. Most memorable -probably singing after sunset on the boat deck with John & Felix playing guitars. Yet the picnic along the river and the wine tasting were highlights too. Loved this bucket list experience!

Our cycling guides were fantastic, so knowledgeable and so easy to be with. The crew on the Iris was also wonderful and so easily accommodated everyone’s individual needs.

This was an amazing trip on so many levels! Perhaps the best aspect of it was that it was very personal, including a small intimate group of people where everyone had the opportunity to connect both with each other and also with the open and welcoming staff on board - Alice, our host & all the crew - Stefan, Captain Dick & First Mate, Adriane, not to mention Chef Joost and our guides Thomas and Treasa. I believe this is a selling point for your marketing team. The next thing worthy of mention would be the attention to detail provided by your staff on the boat. Everything was as close to perfect as you can get - our rooms, meal service, and programming. And topping that list would be the food prepared by chef, Joost. It tasted and was presented at a 5 star level, leaving no one disappointed including anyone with food allergies/preferences. In fact, for people with food issues the staff went above and beyond to ensure satisfaction. Our host, Alice, made particular arrangements for my wife to have everything she needed including special daytime snacks while riding. Last but not least was the daytime programming. The guides, Thomas and Treasa, were outstanding, to say the very least. Their skills and abilities complimented each other and meant that every rider’s needs were always addressed with ease. The two of them worked as a team as we cycled the incredible German landscape making our way through cities, towns and countryside along the Rhine and Moselle rivers. Their knowledge of the local history and the importance of each place including churches and castles (ABC’s), museums, wineries and monuments was exceptional. It went beyond the surface layer providing important detail and significance within the larger history of Germany. We could not have asked for a better trip. Thank you to all who made our particular cycle voyage so memorable, so special. These memories will be cherished… Gord & Mo

Great trip, castles galore, our guides leading us into medieval towns, palaces, gardens.
Easy biking and having two guides meant both faster and slower bikers catered for.
Iris barge conversion provided both indoor and outside lounge areas perfect for after bike social time.
Fantastic food. Thankyou chef.

The staff was amazing Tereasa with all her knowledge of the historical information of the area , the chef Joust with his amazing menu
The crew and captain making us so welcome on board and Thomas leadership through hill and dail.
This made the days so good.

The staff and guides were very committed to everyone having a good time. Although the weather posed some problems for us, the guides pivoted quickly to make sure each day had something special to offer.

Great overall experience
The Ship and crew were great, the bike guides were very professional.
We loved the wine tasting evening
One tip, it is a good idea to practice one’s bike before the trip.

This has been a great tour!
From the choice of route, the warm wellcoming boat & bike staff, the size of the group just everything.
Highly recccomended.

The entire trip was memorable in every way. There was really nothing that I could improve upon other than perhaps the weather, which is not controllable. The staff the boat and the itinerary were incredible. I particularly liked the Museum visit to the Kröller-Müller Museum which is otherwise not very accessible on the regular tourist itinerary.

I really enjoyed the Iris barge. First class barge with an attentive crew. The chef was amazing and created very good meals from a small onboard kitchen. The two guides were first-class. Great cycling routes in rural Netherlands. Lots of interesting stops and tulips galore. I would definitely book another tour aboard the Iris

Great itinerary and biking. Often guides offered options of a short or a long bike ride. A lot of wind to contend with so an e-bike may be an added comfort for some. The Iris was exceptionally clean, apparently newly renovated during Covid. A high quality of rental bikes available and appreciated! Thanks for a great holiday!!